Ingrowing-toe-nail protector



(No Model.)

W. H. MOGARTY. INGROWING TOE NAIL PROTECTOR.

No. 440,434. Patented Nov. 11, 1890.

FW i.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILL H. MOCARTY, OF ROLLING PRAIRIE, INDIANA.

ING ROWI NG-TOE-NAI L PROTECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,434, dated November 11, 1890.

Application filed August 1, 1890. Serial No. 360,726. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, lVILL II. MCCARTY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rolling Prairie, in the county of La Porte and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful In growin g-Toe-Nail Protector, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to surgery, and more particularly to devices for curing ingrowing toe-nails; and the object of the same is to effeet improvements upon devices of this character heretofore constructed.

To this end the invention consists, broadly speaking, of a metallic strip secured to the body of the toe with one end passed beneath the ingrowing edge of thenail, all as hereinafter more fully described, and as illustrated in the drawings, in Which- Figure l is a plan view of a foot, showing my improved protector as applied to the toe thereof. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the protector detached.

It is common in this class of devices to provide an eXpansible spring having hooks at its ends taking over the edges of the nail, which spring exerts a gentle force to press the flesh back from the nail on each side; but it often occurs that the nail is ingrowing at but one edge and the insertion of the hook beneath the other edge and pressure upon the iiesh at that side soon causes the flesh to recede undesirably from the nail there. More` over, in any case, if one hook becomes disengaged and slips out of place, the entire device springs oif the toe and its utility ceases. The present invention is designed to overcome these objections by providing a device acting on but one edge of the nail and held in position by gentle clamping action upon the body of the toe, whereby it cannot be# come displaced.

Referring to the said drawings, the letter F designates a human foot, upon one ofthe toes of which a nail N is illust-rated as ingrowing at the right edge.

The letter P designates my improved protector, which consists ot' a thin strip of spring metal coiled so that it is adapted to surround the toe and pinch gently upon the same with its front end E bent beneath the ingrovs-'ing edge of the nail. If desired, the end of the spring, after the latter makes several coils around the toe, may be continued between two of the toes, as shown in dotted lines, in order to prevent the whole protector from turning upon the toe.

It is to be understood that the protector may be made in various sizes, and either right or left to be applied to nails which may be ingrowing at the corresponding edge. The front end E may be also made of varying widths and shapes, whereby toes of different shapes may be fitted, as will be readily understood.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

The herein-described device for curing in-` growing na-ils, the same consisting of a strip of spring metal in the shape of@ @Q l adapted to surround the toe, the frontwnd of said strip being bent down and adapted to pass beneath the ingrowing edge of the nail, all as hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

W'ILL I-I. MCCARTY.

Witnesses:

DAVID J. MCMUREAY, CHAs. F. McOLUNc. 

